Composites Manufacturing Engineer I

Firefly Aerospace; Briggs (TX); On-site; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental plan

Vision plan

Parental leave

Relocation assistance

Short-term disability

Flexible PTO

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace seeks a Manufacturing Engineer for its Structures Department to help develop tooling and fixtures for the world’s largest liquid-fueled composite rocket and to enable full-rate production on current programs.

You will drive continuous improvements, optimize processes, and provide technical expertise to enhance production capabilities. This role requires practical problem solving and the ability to learn quickly in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• Experience in carbon fiber composite aerospace manufacturing.
• 2+ years technical aptitude and ability to quickly become an expert on complex hardware.
• Proficiency in CAD software for tooling/fixturing designs.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration.
• Track record of driving process improvements in fast-paced environments.
• Six Sigma/Lean manufacturing Black Belt certification is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and development of tooling, fixtures, and production equipment for aerospace composites.
• Continuously evaluate and optimize manufacturing processes, tooling, and fixtures.
• Own hardware development and production processes, meeting schedules.
• Develop innovative tooling/fixturing solutions to improve efficiency and quality.
• Serve as primary part expertise contact and guide fabrication processes.
• Support floor operations and implement changes to drive improvements.
• Create detailed work instructions to standardize processes.
• Lead root-cause analysis and corrective actions for nonconformances.

Skills

Carbon fiber composite manufacturing

Strong communication

Problem solving

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

Education

Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering

Master's degree a plus

Tools

CAD software

Automated Fiber Placement

Quick-turn tooling design

Job description

Career Opportunities with Firefly Aerospace

Come be a part of the 21 st Century Space Race!

Careers At Firefly Aerospace

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Firefly Aerospace is a space and defense technology company on a mission to reliably and repeatedly launch, land, and operate space systems from Earth to the Moon and beyond. As the partner of choice for critical space missions, Firefly is the first commercial company to launch a satellite to orbit with 24-hour notice and the first company to achieve a successful Moon landing. Headquartered in north Austin, Texas, Firefly is looking for passionate, hardworking innovators to join our team and help fuel our successful trajectory into space.

SUMMARY

We are seeking a highly motivated and dedicated Manufacturing Engineer to join our Structures Department. As part of a small, fast-paced, and passionate team you will be instrumental developing the world’s largest liquid fueled all composite rocket and implementing full rate production on our current vehicle and programs.

You will be responsible for developing tooling and fixtures for development programs as well as production programs, driving continuous improvement initiatives, optimizing processes, developing brand new processes, and providing technical expertise to enhance our production capabilities. This role will give you a wide variety of opportunities. This position requires a strong background in engineering, extensive experience with practical problem solving and the ability to learn quickly.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the design and development of tooling, fixtures, and production equipment necessary for the manufacturing of aerospace composite components. This includes selecting appropriate materials and manufacturing processes to meet specific aerospace industry standards.
• Continuously evaluate and enhance manufacturing processes, tooling, and fixtures to optimize efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness. Implement improvements to increase production capacity and reduce cycle times.
• Take ownership of hardware development and production processes, ensuring adherence to schedules and driving continuous improvements.
• Develop and implement innovative solutions for tooling and fixturing to enhance manufacturing efficiency and quality.
• Act as the primary point of contact for all aspects related to part expertise, including understanding intricacies of the hardware and providing guidance on its fabrication.
• Support manufacturing floor operations by actively engaging with production teams to identify areas for improvement and implementing necessary changes.
• Create detailed work instructions and procedures to standardize manufacturing processes and ensure consistency in product quality.
• Lead the resolution of nonconformance issues by assessing root causes and implementing corrective actions to bring parts back into compliance.
• Demonstrate exceptional problem-solving skills and a proactive approach to addressing challenges in a fast-paced environment.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams, including design, manufacturing, and quality, to ensure the seamless integration into the production process.
• Identify and address production challenges, implementing effective solutions to ensure the timely delivery of high-quality aerospace components.
• Implement and maintain rigorous quality control measures to meet industry standards and customer expectations.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities and participate in cost reduction initiatives while maintaining product integrity.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement, driving Lean and Six Sigma principles throughout the manufacturing process

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related Engineering field.
• Experience in carbon fiber composite aerospace manufacturing
• 2+ years technical aptitude and ability to quickly become an expert on complex hardware.
• Proficiency in CAD software for developing tooling and fixturing designs.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated track record of driving process improvements and delivering results in a fast-paced environment.
• High level of initiative, self-motivation, and ability to thrive in a dynamic and challenging work environment.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical abilities.
• 2+ years working in a aerospace manufacturing or engineering environment with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical, aerospace, or similar area.
• Master's degree is a plus.
• Automated Fiber Placement experience
• Quick-turn custom composite tooling design and fabrication
• Six Sigma or Lean manufacturing Black Belt certification

Firefly offers outstanding benefits for our employees, including generous health, dental and vision plans with low plan deductibles, parental leave, educational & relocation reimbursement, short term disability, and flexible PTO options.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Firefly Aerospace, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Firefly is governed based on merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.